Leonard’s backing the Bulls
19 Apr 2006
Former captain Anton Leonard believes the Bulls can still qualify for the semi-finals of the Vodacom Super 14 competition.
Despite dropping valuable points in the narrow loss to the Reds in Brisbane at the weekend, Leonard – who led the Blue Bulls to three consecutive Currie Cup titles – feels they can still make it with four wins from their last four matches.
“They are still a quality side and there is definitely a possibility of them qualifying,” Leonard told keo.co.za. “But that TMO decision (of Linston Manuels) can still cost them in the end.”
Leonard said that decision had rocked the team ahead of their overseas tour and sapped the confidence. “It would have made such a difference if it had gone the other way, but that said, the team have thrown away lots of points. I’ve counted 11 missed points so far,” he said.
Asked about the game plan, especially on the tour, Leonard backed his former coach and team-mates. “The game plan is good and Heyneke (Meyer) is a great coach, but we lost a lot of experienced guys at the end of last year. The whole front row – Richard Bands, Kees Lensing and Danie Coetzee have been missed. You can’t replace quality like that overnight.”
“Unfortunately I think we need to depend on the Brumbies dropping a few points if we want to qualify, but I still think they can do it.”
Leonard, who moved to George last year, runs a coffee shop and car wash between coaching at Outeniqua High School and writing for the local paper. “I’m still a huge Bulls supporter and watch them every weekend,” he said.
By Andrew Hollely
22 Comments
19 Apr 2006, 06:54 am
Yeah, Anton! They can possibly and remotely fluke their way into a semifinal berth, but then they will have to step on to an aeroplane and fly to the antipodes to play that semifinal contest!
Just as what they had to do when YOU were the captain a year ago, Anton!
And whenever the Bulls step on to an aeroplane that lands more than two hours after it takes off, we ALL know how their whole big-brag grand plan all turns to complete and utter custard, hey?
19 Apr 2006, 07:13 am
Gaan trek draad, o ek vergeet jy naai net skaap en jou pielie is te klein om ‘n ordentlike dratie te maak
19 Apr 2006, 07:14 am
I would stick to running the car wash
19 Apr 2006, 07:17 am
bokusa,bloubulsd dont feed the ******.Tackler has had so much fafafini in him he can apply for citizenship at any of the Isalnd nations.The kiwis hasnt excepted him thats why he posts here till the wee morning hours.Hhe is 41 years old and still single.Nz are 10 hours ahead of us timewise.Keep that in mind as the day carries on and he is still posting.its a cry for help.
19 Apr 2006, 07:19 am
that is 19 hours ahead of me, I am in San Diego
I know but I like to write something in Afrikaans because he thinks he is very clever understanding it, might actually have a point there
19 Apr 2006, 07:21 am
Bokusa, right continent, incorrect comment.
Anton was part of 3 CC winning teams, not many players can say that
19 Apr 2006, 07:23 am
He is fully afrikaans but he does post on weekend nights wen normal people are socializing.He is not a typical Saffer nor a typical Kiwi.GUys like NZMoari has also come out and stated that much.Its just a cry for help.No friends no wife,no kids 41 years old in a new country,must be tough so he hangs around here looking for attention.Talks **** but wouldn meet me last Dec when I was in Nz.
19 Apr 2006, 07:27 am
Are you on drugs Mr.Leonard?
19 Apr 2006, 07:28 am
bloubulsd, with all due respect, his Super 12 record wasn’t much to gloat about. At least he had gees, I’ll give you that. By the way, I’m up the road in LA but thank’s to Setanta and Kuduclub, it’s all rugby all the time.
19 Apr 2006, 07:35 am
Except last year no he didn’t have a great time but he was a great leader and could make them win the one’s that counted.
Kuduclub fan aswell, watch even more rugby now then when I was in SA!
I have actually found a way to watch it while in Europe by getting an american IP and fooling the kuduclub server into thinking I am in the USA!
Usefull when on business trips..
19 Apr 2006, 07:56 am
Do i need to remind you he a 3 TIMES in a row CURRIECUP WINNER CAPTAIN who can say that?
Yeah he like the best of the best. Played with such passion should have made bok easy. Leonard yeah it true couple games we should have won and just lost. Then also that tmo costing us big time. Looking at all that and then at the log and see the Bulls still ahead after we played so poorly…. truely We can only play better. Looking again to that log have been the most succesfull S.A team.
Bulls yeah!!!!!!
19 Apr 2006, 08:35 am
Tackler
I find it pitiful to witness the desperate way in which you try to identify with your new country – the Shire.
It is always the outsider who has to prove himself who tries to be “more German than the Germans themselves”. Just like Hitler – an Austrian, Napoleaon – a Corsican – and Verwoerd – born in the Netherlands – did in their respective countries.
So you now live in relative safety and have job-security, if not great quality of life. However, you are pretty unhappy, judging by the bitter thread that runs through all of your posts.
But keep at it. Maybe if you try really hard for the rest of your life, you may just be able to gain acceptance with your new countrymen – and finally be able to proudly call yourself an upstanding Pakeha.
19 Apr 2006, 09:02 am
Haaah! Die bal is in my hande… kom ons hardloop in die naaste speler vas! Duhhhhh!
19 Apr 2006, 09:03 am
Ja nee , daai was ‘n speler duisend alhoewel hy nooit springbok gespeel het nie. Groot respek vir daai man. Dink hy moet die Stormers gaan afrig
19 Apr 2006, 09:10 am
andre wp,
hy het sy kleure gekry.
19 Apr 2006, 09:17 am
Leonard… not very insightful…even Fransie is backing the Bulls…
19 Apr 2006, 09:58 am
Tacitus, you crack me up… Relative Safety?
Thats right boet. Everything is relative.
With the amount of hate running through Tackler he wouldnt be safe anywhere on earth.
19 Apr 2006, 11:28 am
Unsafe? Moi?
You jest!
19 Apr 2006, 11:32 am
Of course he would back the Bulls…what insightful article!!!
Or did you imagine it could have gone like this:
Keo: Anton, pray tell, do you think the Bulls can still qualify for the finals?
Anton: No chance Keo, their game plan is hopelessly too one-dimensional. Since I left them, the standard of play has really dropped beyond belief and their game plan really is up to sh… At least I still varied my play, but what’s going on up there now, really sucks…!
19 Apr 2006, 12:52 pm
The Bulls missed out on 11 points. But the Sharks also missed out on points, 12 of them, in four matches that they had a considerable lead at half time, just to loose it in the last 5 – 10 minutes. Cheetahs, Crusaders, Brumbies and Hurricanes.
19 Apr 2006, 14:48 pm
While we on that great subject…
Hey the stormers are having a blinder of a s14!! IF ONLY we won the canes in that last tackle…and did not concede the last two tries against the Tahs…and if the ref didnt give all those penalties to the cheetahs…..hey we were in front against the chiefs at one stage….bliksem…that is 13 log points!!! We should have been on 27 now……Hell we’re doing brilliant….
WAKE up and stop blaming one decision or missed points………Could have means nothing….did is everything!!!
19 Apr 2006, 17:17 pm
Anton should still be playing for the Bulls, and possibly even the Boks. I recon he could have made it to the world cup…
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